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Visa-free Schengen short stay

HungaryShort stays and visits

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

Official link

Explore pathways in Hungary Read the five questions ↓

For the relevant traveller scope, is a visa, electronic authorisation, visa on arrival or no advance visa normally required?

No advance visa is required for nationals of third countries listed in Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 as exempt from visa requirements: they may legally enter Hungary and the Schengen Member States.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The page does not reproduce the Annex II list, so no claim can be made about any particular nationality.
  • It only links to a list of Schengen Member States (98955bb64f8b058b.txt[8913:9115]).
  • chars 8641-8910
    A national of a third country listed in Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 of the European Parliament and of the Council as exempt from visa requirements may legally enter Hungary and the Schengen Member States and stay not exceeding 90 days in any 180-day period.

What short-visit purposes does this route cover?

For the additional 30- or 90-day bilateral stay the stated purpose is the development of cultural relations, and the period cannot be used for activities that require a residence permit, such as pursuing studies, being employed or engaging in gainful activities. The official source does not state the permitted purposes for the ordinary Schengen visa-free stay.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • This purpose statement covers only the bilateral extension, not the ordinary Schengen visa-free stay, whose permitted purposes the page never enumerates.
  • For the ordinary stay the page says only that after a residence permit expires the person 'can only stay in Hungary as a tourist' (98955bb64f8b058b.txt[10004:10379]).
  • chars 14894-15224
    Considering that the additional stay not exceeding 30 or 90 days under bilateral agreements primarily serves the development of cultural relations, this period cannot be used for activities that can be carried out only as a holder of a residence permit, e.g., pursuing studies, being employed, engaging in gainful activities, etc.

What maximum stay, rolling-period rule, validity and entry rules apply?

A short-term stay is a planned stay in Hungary not exceeding 90 days within any 180-day period. The official source does not state rules on the number of entries.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The page states no rules on the number of entries or on required passport validity.
  • The additional 30 or 90 days available on a bilateral basis is a separate entitlement, answered under R5.
  • chars 8497-8638
    Third-country nationals’ short-term stay in Hungary is defined as a planned stay in Hungary not exceeding 90 days within any 180‑day period.

What important funds, accommodation, invitation, insurance, onward-travel or passport evidence may be required?

For the bilateral stay it is recommended always to carry a valid passport, plus the earlier passport if the Schengen Area was entered on it, and any expired residence permit issued by a Member State, in order to prove lawful residence in Hungary during police checks and when leaving the Schengen Area. The official source does not mention funds, accommodation, invitation, insurance or onward-travel evidence.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • This is a recommendation for the bilateral stay, not a general border-evidence requirement.
  • The page does not mention funds, accommodation, an invitation, insurance or onward-travel evidence.
  • chars 15227-15652
    It is recommended that when utilizing the benefit under the bilateral agreement, you always carry your valid passport (or, if you entered the Schengen Area with a previous passport, that passport as well), and – if you had one – your expired residence permit issued by any Member State, in order to be able to prove your legal residence in Hungary during a check by the police forces and later when leaving the Schengen Area.

Where/how is permission obtained when required, and under what important circumstances can a stay be extended or changed?

Nationals of listed third countries are entitled to stay in Hungary for an additional 30 or 90 days after the 90-day Schengen visa-free stay has expired, or after a residence permit held in an EU or Schengen State has expired, provided they comply with the detailed rules on previous stay set out in the notice.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The 21 countries and whether each gives 30 or 90 days are listed separately (98955bb64f8b058b.txt[11074:11583]).
  • Conditions: not having already used the 90 Schengen days elsewhere, not entering another Schengen State during the stay, and leaving the Schengen Area from Hungary (98955bb64f8b058b.txt[12053:12715]).
  • The benefit is lost if the residence permit was withdrawn rather than expired (98955bb64f8b058b.txt[13856:14891]).
  • Bilateral benefits of different Member States cannot be accumulated (98955bb64f8b058b.txt[15655:16267]).
  • A residence permit application may also be submitted during the visa-free period, in person or via Enter Hungary (98955bb64f8b058b.txt[9768:9998], second occurrence of the platform link).
  • chars 10597-11071
    If you are a national of one of the following third countries , you are entitled to stay in Hungary for an additional 30 or 90 days after your 90-day visa-free stay in the Schengen Area has expired , or after you have previously stayed in a Member State of the European Union or a State of the Schengen Area with a residence permit and its validity has expired, provided that you comply with the detailed rules regarding previous stay as set out in this information notice:

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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